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NEWS : Top guns for Pahang Open

June 8:NATIONAL chief coach Yap Kim Hock's directive to all national shuttlers who have qualified for the World Championships to compete in the Pahang Open in Kuantan on June 16-19 has drawn a positive response. The country's top players — Lee Chong Wei, Wong Choon Hann, Hafiz Hashim and Roslin Hashim — have been entered for the men's singles while the top doubles pairs of Chan Choong Ming-Koo Kien Kiat and Chew Choon Eng-Hong Chien Hun will compete in the doubles.

Women's singles player Wong Mew Choo and doubles pair Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui will also be in action.

Kim Hock's directive came in the wake of two senior shuttlers’ decision to skip the Kedah Open. They are second ranked international Hafiz Hashim and his brother Roslin Hashim.

The Pahang Open, the second leg of the National Grand Prix Circuit, together with the Singapore Open (June 27-July 3), and the Malaysian Open (July 5-10) will be used as part of the squad's final preparations for the World Championships in Anaheim, California, in August.

A total of 230 shuttlers will be competing in the Proton Pahang Open, being held as part of the Pahang Badminton Association's Silver Jubilee celebrations.

&quot;Fans will be able to see the country's top shuttlers in action at the Pahang Open which will be used as part of the national squad's tune-up for the World Championships in August,&quot; said organising secretary Razak Muda in Kuantan yesterday.

Hosts Pahang will be represented by 11 players. Another seven players from Pahang who are at the Bukit Jalil Sports School will turn out for the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

Veteran pair will come under close scrutiny at Pahang Open

TheStar

KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran doubles shuttlers Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah will come under close scrutiny when they return to competition as a pair for the first time in nine months at the Pahang Open, which begins next Thursday at the Sukpa Indoor Stadium in Kuantan.

In the draw released yesterday, the unseeded Tan Fook-Wan Wah will play against Mohd Razif Latif-Mohd Razif Rahman in the first round.

If they advance, they are likely to play against World Championships qualifiers and second seeds Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock.

Also in the same half of the draw are another pair for the world championships, Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari, and world junior champions Hoon Thien How-Tan Boon Heong.

The top half of the draw has current national number one and world number eight Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat.

National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said yesterday that he was eager to see how Tan Fook-Wan Wah would fare in Kuantan.

“They will compete again as a pair for the first time since the Selangor Open last October,” he said.

“I have not set any targets for them but how they fare in the Pahang Open will give us an indication on what to expect from them in the near future. For now, I have plans to keep them in the 2006 programme.”

The major tournaments next year include the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Doha Asian Games.

Wan Wah was put out of action after suffering a knee injury in the Selangor Open. Tan Fook went on to forge an unsuccessful partnership with Chew Choon Eng.

In the current world rankings, Tan Fook-Wan Wah are now in 51st spot.

Kim Hock also said that he was delighted that none of the national shuttlers withdrew from the Pahang Open.

“I have made clear the importance for national players to compete in local tournament. For the first time in many years, the Pahang Open will see the full participation of national players. We want to keep a 100% participation in all local Open tournaments,” he said.

In the men's singles, top seed Lee Chong Wei will be out to stretch his unbeaten run in local tournaments. His main challenger in the top half of the draw is veteran Wong Choong Hann.

The bottom half of the draw has second seed Mohd Hafiz Hashim, Kuan Beng Hong and Yeoh Kay Bin.